Garment rack with hanger retaining means



Nov. 10, 1953 R. A. MAGNUSON GARMENT RACK WITH HANGER RETAINING MEANS Filed Sept. 9, 1950 NYEJN'TOYQN Qq mond cl-Lmas dom d -r-ron-=.Y./

Patented Nov. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Raymond A. Magnuson, Chicago, Ill., assignor to R. A. Magnuson and A. Magnuson, copartners, doing business as Vogel-Peterson 00., Chicago, Ill.

Application September 9, 1950, Serial No. 184,015

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates to coat hangers and more particularly to an improved coat hanger adapted for use in a check room coat rack.

One object of the invention is to provide in a check room garment rack, a novel construction and arrangement for preventing accidental disengagement of empty coat hangers from their supporting rail.

A more specific object is to provide a novel coat hanger adapted to be retained in position o a hanger rail by a conventional coat check or the like.

The objects of the invention thus generally set forth, together with other and ancillary advantages are attained by the construction and arrangement shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a coat hanger embodying the invention and showing the hanger looked to a hanger rail.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the hanger supported on a rail.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse view, partially in section and showing the cooperation. of the coat check with the hanger hook to lock the hanger on a rail.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, there is shown in the drawing and will herein be described in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that it is not thereby intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of th invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the present invention contemplates the use of a. coat hanger it of any desired shape or character having a suspension hook l I designed to support the hanger from a hanger rail or the like. In accordance with conventional practice, the hook H includes a shank 12 extending upwardly from the mid-section of the hanger to a reversely curved elbow I4 adapted to hook over a hanger rail or similar support.

In the past hangers of this type have been held in position on hanger rails only by the force of gravity on the hanger acting downwardly on the hook ll. When the hanger is loaded with garments the weight of the load aids in maintaining the hanger on its support, but when the hanger is empty its position on its support is unstable to the extent that a casual nudge will many times raise or tip the hanger from its support and cause it to fall. This is particularly objectionable where many hangers are placed close together on rails in crowded check rooms where the movement of attendants through narrow aisles between the rows of hangers may knock a number of hangers to the floor.

In accordance with the invention, simple yet effective means are provided for positively retaining a coat hanger on a hanger rail to prevent accidental dislodgement of the hanger from the rail. As shown, the hanger rail [5 is in the form of a downwardly opening sheet metal channel with a vertical side bar of substantial depth and provided with longitudinally spaced openings I6 into which hanger hooks I I are inserted to support the hangers from th rail. As provided by the invention a retaining member is attached to the free end of each hook I I, the member being of a size larger than the openings [6 and therefore effective to prevent removal of the hook from the rail until the retaining member is intentionally disengaged from the hook. For this purpose an open eyelet I! is formed on the free end of hook it which, in the preferred construction, comprises in effect a second reversely curved segment of the hook opening upwardly generally in the shape of the letter U. The eyelet is of suitable size to receive a retaining member I9 of any suitable shape or character. A most convenient retaining member for this purpose is a conventional coat check having a punched hole 20 permitting one edge portion of the check to be inserted into the eyelet as shown. Since most coat checks are manufactured with the holes 20, they may be used for this purpose Without modification.

Coat checks are commonly kept with empty hangers having corresponding numbers and are always available for locking the empty hangers to the rails. When a hanger is in use the check is, of course, given to the owner of the garment, but loaded hangers rarely fall and the need for locking them to the rail is much less than for empty hangers.

The openings l6 may be of any shape or size so long as they do not exceed the size of the checks l9. Nevertheless, the vertical elongated shape of th openings illustrated is advantageous in that the eyelets H are easily inserted through the openings and the narrow width of the openings Permits relatively small locking members l9 to be used if desired. The lower ends of the openings may be tapered substantially to a point to form a seat for hanger hooks I l.

The simplicity and effectiveness of the invention is evident from a review of its use. The hanger l incorporating the invention is hooked into an opening l6 of the hanger rail in the usual manner and a coat check I9 is hung on the eyelet ll. If by chance the hanger is nudged by an attendant the check l9, turned crosswise of opening l6, retains the hanger hook II in the opening as illustrated in Fig. 3 and prevents the hanger from falling. Only after the check I9 is removed may the hanger be unhooked from the rail.

The depending hook 2| is for the support of an umbrella or the like and forms no part of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

In a garment rack, the combination of a horizontal hanger rail comprising an elongated bar disposed in a vertical plane and having one or more openings therein, a garment hanger having a suspension hook comprising a shank portion extending vertically from the midportion of the hanger and a short portion inclined downwardly and outwardly away from the shank portion for insertion through an opening in the bar and forming with the shank portion a downwardly opening hook, and a retaining member having a hole therein, said downwardly extending hook portion having its free end bent reversely to form an upwardly opening hook adapted to receive the retaining member upon insertion of such hook through the opening in the bar whereby the member coacts with the bar and the hook to prevent accidental removal of the hook through the hole in the bar, said opening in the bar being dimensioned to permit passage therethrough of the hook for supporting the retaining member when the member is removed therefrom.

RAYMOND A. MAGNUSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 26 ,080 McLeary Aug. 1, 1882 845,423 Landt Feb. 26, 1907 928,980 Kaufman et a1 July 27, 1909 2,024,442 Flocco Dec. 17, 1935 2,278,912 Busse Apr, 7, 1942 2,451,114 Peterson Oct. 12, 1948 2,455,007 Hayslip Nov. 30, 1948 

